Alberto Guardiani Opens the First Store in Turkey

After the success of the launching of the new flagship store in Milan last September, a new concept store opens in Ankara at Next Level Mall in the heart of the capital.

Inspired by the 1940s, the intimate interior has a refined and sophisticated atmosphere: these key features launch the new Alberto Guardiani in Turkey.

The first Alberto Guardiani store in Turkey opens its doors in Ankara at Next Level shopping mall, with a new concept in perfect balance between tradition and innovation. The second stage of the brand's new retail season started last September in Milan, from where it proceeds to Moscow in the coming months.

The project was designed by the studio of Andrea Fogli Stefania Tognoloni & Partners, selected from a shortlist of four Italian architectural firms. The point of departure was to recapture the atmosphere that marked the brand's creation the in the 1940s. Furniture and spaces are inspired by masters of Art Deco architecture such as Jean Michel Frank, Andre Arbus, and Jacques Adnet, reinterpreted in a contemporary way.

The new space is restyled with a central entrance and two display windows. The project, which involves a surface area of ​​190 square meters, is developed inside a modern structure such as Next Level, organized by two towers dedicated to offices, residences, loft offices and a mall from below, characterized by a contemporary architecture that respects the dynamism of the surrounding area.

The concept evokes the foyer of an apartment in New York, Paris, Singapore or London- welcoming and cosmopolitan, intimate and elegant. The space is defined by: central two-story shelves that are open on both sides, which are constructed of nautical wood that has a polyester finish; a large table lacquered in Guardiani blue; the use of carpets, ottomans, and armchairs; and especially, the presence of a fireplace and by two large lateral shelf units made of bronzed mirrors and ribbed glass that are used as exhibition space.

The furniture, inspired by Art Deco and designed by Fogli Tognoloni, was custom built by Italian craftsmen using innovative materials and shapes. The look is eclectic and Post-modern, combining its basic functional aspect with geometric simplicity.

The selection of materials is Modernist in inspiration: from bronzed mirrors paired with ribbed mirrors for the exhibition spaces; to the windows. Velvet, woven herringbone, or small retro designs adorn ottomans, chairs and walls. Attention has been given to detail, from the polyester-finished nautical wood used for the windows, shelving cases, and other furniture details, to the dual-colour woven coconut carpets that perfectly match the floor in subtle shades of pale grey. The Guardiani blue, a distinctive symbol of the brand, is discreetly referenced in the lacquering of the central table, in select fabrics, in the carpets, and in lamps that emit diffused light.

The store contains the entire women's and men's world of the Alberto Guardiani and Guadiani Sport brands, as if it were a luxurious walk-in closet in a private wardrobe, where there are also large mirror dividers. Classic Art Deco style cabinets are paired with fabric-covered travel trunks with brass details that are left nonchalantly open and function as exhibition spaces.

The two external cube display windows, which suggest the internal environment, also become exhibition spaces, where the intimate atmosphere becomes even more evident: cleverly illuminated by a Viabizzuno lighting system, objects take the form of precious treasures in a chest.

The classic elements of this project interact and merge-as do all Alberto Guardiani collections- with a world that is contemporary and innovative: advanced surrounded music system, LED screens filtered by bronzed mirrors accompany the visitor through the various rooms, where eclectic brass music stands are placed next to iPad stations, which allow interaction with Alberto Guardiani's digital world and social networks.

This new space, a new concept that arrives in Ankara out of a suitcase, has always combined experience with tradition and innovation- for a strong Made-in-Italy spirit, but with international appeal.

Alberto Guardiani

A recognized proponent of Italian excellence, Alberto Guardiani is a leading Italian shoe manufacturer that has developed a unique understanding of the art of shoemaking based on a 60-year-old tradition. It specializes in the production of bespoke designer shoes, created with passion, crafted to perfection, and built to last. The brand today enjoys a strong position in the Italian market and is witnessing considerable international growth supported by an increasing network of retail stores and a global wholesale network stores worldwide.